Puros Bush Lodge and Camp

Community-run Puros Bush Lodge sits a few kilometres upstream of Puros village, shaded by old thorn trees on the banks of the ephemeral Hoarusib River, deep in Namibia's Kaokoland, one of the last truly wild corners of the country. The lodge is run directly by the Puros Conservancy and covers 3,562 square kilometres of Kunene Region, home to just 641 people. Six simple chalets and one family unit, each with its own toilet and shower, look out over ground that desert-adapted elephants often wander through.

Guides from the conservancy lead treks and drives to track desert elephants, along with black rhino, giraffe and Hartmann's mountain zebra across the surrounding hills and riverbeds, and arrange visits to the community-run Puros Traditional Village to meet Himba residents. Staying here means your money goes directly into one of the main sources of paid work in the area.